Fluid-operated whistle valve



C. D. RAFFERTY FLUID OPERATED WHISTLE VAL' Filed Oct. 4, 1923 PatentedDec. 2, 1924.

LEEMQ? CHARLES I). RAFFEBTY, 0F SAULT STE. 'lrIARIE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

FLUID-OPERATED WHISTLE VALVE. f

Application filed October 4, 1923. Serial No. 666,527.

To all whom it may canoe m:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. RAF- FERTY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sault Ste. Marie, in the Province of Ontario andDominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFluid-Operated Whistle Valves; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

The purpose of the present invention 1s the provision of a valve adaptedto be operated by compressed air, steam or other fluid, whereby tounseat the valve of a steam whistle, thereby obviating exposedconnecting means, such as a cord, chain or the like.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves asthe nature of the invention is understood.

While the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention it is to beunderstood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions andrequirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor detailsof construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe in vention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of theapplication:

Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view of a whistle and valvemechanism embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking inthe direction designated by the arrows,

Figure d is a sectional 4- 1 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and designated in the several views of the drawings by likereference characters.

The body of the whistle is designated by the numeral 1 and may be of anypreferred construction. The numeral 2 designates the bowl associatedwith the body 1 and forming a part of the whistle. A neck 3 depends fromthe bowl 2 and terminates in a coupling end to be attached to a steamboiler or other means for supplying an operating detail on the linefluid for sounding the Whistle when it is required to operate the same.A valve 4:W1i3l'1- in the neck 3, serves to normally cut off the supplyof fluid to the whistle and this valve opens downwardly and closesupwardly.

A fluid controlled valve operating mechanism is associated with thewhistle to effect an unseating of the valve 1 when it is required tosound the whistle. In the prefer able arrangement, the valve operatingmechanism is located within the bowl 2 and com prises a cylinder 5having a reduced portion 6 which is threaded into the upper end of theneck 3. The cylinder 5 is of such relative diameter and arrangement asto form an annular space 7 through which the steam, compressed air orother fluid medium passes when the whistle is in operation. A cap 8closes the upper end of the cylinder 5 and is formed with an outerflange 9 which overhangs the annular space 7 and provides a constrictedoutlet for the fluid medium whereby the whistle is operated. A supplypipe 10 connects with the upper portion of the cylinder 5 and a vent 11connects with the lower portion of the cylinder. The pipe 10 may connectwith a tank containing compressed air, or with a steam boiler, and isprovided in its length with a valve, not shown, which in one positionadmits the steam or compressed air into the upper portion of thecylinder and which in another position establishes communication betweenthe upper portion of the cylinder and the atmosphere, whereby to relievethe upper portion of the cylinder of fluid pressure to admit of theautomatic seating of the valve 4. It will be obvious that the pressurein the boiler will hold valve 4 to its seat and as the valve engages thelower end of the stem 13 the piston 12 will be held in the intermediateposition shown in Figure 1 until sufficient pressure be exerted thereonthrough pipe 10 to overcome the boiler pressure and unseat the valve ashereinafter stated. The stem 13 of the piston 12 obtains a close fitWithin an axial opening of the reduced portion 6 and projects beyond thelatter to engage the valve 4. When the piston 12 is depressed by fluidpressure entering the upper portion of the cylinder through the inlet10, the valve 1 is unseated, and fluid pressure entering the neck 3 andpassing through the bowl 2, operates the whistle in a manner wellunderstood. The reduced portion 6 of the cylinder has passages 14 formedtherein,

through which the fluid medium from the neck 3 enters the bowl 2 whenthe valve l is unseated. As indicated most clearly in Figure 4, thepassages let are grouped about the axial opening of the part 6 in whichthe stem 13 operates.

Whatis claimed is:

1. A whistle of the character specified, comprising a bowl having aneck, a body carried by the bowl, a self-closing valve in said neck, acylinder within the bowl spaced from its side wall, a piston within thecylinder and having a stem adapted to engage the self-closing valve andeffect an unseating thereof, a pipe extending through the bowl to thecylinder for supplying fluid pressure to an end portion of the cylinderfor posi tively actuating the piston therein and a vent pipe extendingthrough the bowl to the cylinder.

2. In a Whistle of the character specified, a boWl having a neck, a bodycarried by the bowl, a self-closing valve within the neck, a cylinderWithin the bowl spaced at a portion thereof from its side Wall toprovide an operating fluid outlet and having a reduced portion coupledto said neck and provided with a passage for the whistle operatingfluid, said cylinder having a fluid pressure inlet pipe and a vent pipein communication therewith and extending through the bowl, and a pistonin the cylinder having a stem passing through the reduced portionthereof for actuating the valve of the whistle.

In testimony whereof I my signature 35 in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. RAFFERTY. Witnesses Ri-IEA KAUPP, H. J. HERROLD.

